Saudi Arabian officials admit that the journalist died in a visit to the country’s consulate in Istanbul on 2 October, claiming he was killed in a fist-fight.

Finland's Ministry for Foreign Affairs posted a statement on Twitter on Saturday that the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi must be made subject to an open investigation and the people responsible for his death should be "brought to justice".

"Appalling news about Jamal #Khashoggi. Transparent investigation is needed and those responsible must be brought to justice. Defending freedom of the press is a key priority for Finland," the tweet read.

The Saudi regime admitted the journalist's death on state television on Friday. It also announced a purge of senior officials, and eighteen Saudi nationals were said to have been arrested.

Khashoggi, a critic of the crown prince Mohammad bin Salman, went missing after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October to obtain documents for his upcoming marriage.

Investigating Turkish officials surmised that Khashoggi was killed during his time in the building, an allegation that Saudi Arabia initially denied.

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affair has since claimed that discussions between Khashoggi and Saudi officials at the consulate "did not go as required and escalated negatively which led to a fight between them … and led to his death".